Automatic pipe-coupling



(No Model.) 4Sheets8heet 1.

N. P. NIED'ERLANDER. AUTOMATIC PIPE COUPLING.

No. 582,672. Patented May 18,1897.

INVENTOR,

WITNESSES:

(No Model.) I 4 SheetsSheet 2;

N. P. NIEDERLANDER. AUTOMATIC .PIPE COUPLING.

' No. 582,672. Patented May 18, 1897.

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N. P. NIEDERLANDER. AUTOMATIC PIPE COUPLING.

No. 582,672. Patented May 18 1897.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR,

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 4 N. F. NIEDERLANDER.

AUTOMATIC. PIPE COUPLING.

No. 582,672. Patented May 18,1897.

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Nrrnn STATES NICHOLAS F. NIEDERLANDER; OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC PIPE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,672, dated May 18,1897.

A lication filed December 10, 1895. Serial No. 571,622. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS F. NIEDER- LANDER, a citizen of .the UnitedStates, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have inventedand discovered a certain new and usefullmprovementin AutomaticPipe-Couplings, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide effective and desirable meansfor automatically coupling the ends of two or more sections of pipelocated on adjacent cars in a railwaytrain; and to this end it consists,generally stated, in the combination, with the half-sections or shoes ofan automatic pipe-couplin g, each of which is located on the end of acar, of means whereby the separation or relative movement of thehalf-sections when coupled is prevented, except by such a separation ofthe cars as may occur when the cars are uncoupled or break apart.

It further consists in improved means for supporting, guiding, andpermitting the necessary movements of the half-sections in the act ofcoupling and of the coupling device as a whole when the twohalf-sections are coupled together and the train is in motion; and itstill further consists in certain combinations and features ofconstruction, all as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate applications of myinvention, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a half-section of an automaticpipe-coupling provided with my improvement and shown in combination withone form of my improved supporting and guiding device which is securedto the under side of an automatic car-coupling; Fig. 2, an elevation, onan enlarged scale, of the face of one of the half-sections or shoes ofan automatic pipe-coupling provided with my improvement Fig. 3,a planview of an automatic coupling device provided with my improvement, thetwo half-sections of the coupling device being shown coupled together;Fig. 3, aplan view of a part of one of the shoes; Fig. 4, a plan viewsimilar to Fig. 8, showing a modification ofmy improvement; Fig. 5, aside elevation of a half-section of an automatic pipe-coupling similarto that shown in Fig. 1, but provided with a preferred form of parts arecoupled together.

hanger or means for supporting and guiding for guiding and supportingthe half-section or shoe of the coupling device.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings is shown one member of an ordinarycar-coupling 1, from which is supported one of the members or half-sect-ions 2 of an automatic pipe-coupling provided with my improvement.Each of the half-sections 2 and 3 of the pipe-coupling, as shown inFigs. 2, 3, and 4, is a duplicate of the other and consists of a castingor shoe with passages 4 formed through it, which are adapted to beconnected with the sections of pipe on a car by means of the nozzles 5',and Which are adapted to register with and open into one another whenthe two faces of the half-sections are in engagement and the two In thedrawings I have shown two such openings through each of thehalf-sections, one of which may connect with the train-pipe of theair-brake system and the other with the signal train-pipe or with thepipe of the steam-heating system; but, if desired, one only may beemployed, or an opening may be provided for each of the train-pipes ofthe air-brake, signal, and heating systems.

Each of the passages,where it opens through the face of the coupling, isprovided with a gasket or packing 6, of suitable material, which whenthe half-sections are coupled together engages with and is pressedagainst a similar gasket on the other half-section, so as to form atight joint around the opening.

The surface 7 on the outer end portion of each of the shoes is inclinedlaterally outward from the central longitudinal vertical plane of thecoupling and is adapted to abut against in the act of coupling and forma guide for the corresponding part on the other shoe, and as the twohalf-sections approach each other in the act of coupling the inclinedsurface 7 on each shoe directs the other into the proper position forcoupling.

To the inner end of each of the shoes is secured a curved spring 8,whichpasses through the loop, slot, or opening 9 of the hanger 10, and iscurved backward and laterally out- Ward in such shape that its free end11 may act as a guide to direct the other shoe into coupling position.The back of the outer end of each of the shoes is provided with aninclined surface 12, which is adapted to slide under the bond 13 of thespring 8, which is secured to the other shoe, and the pressure of thespring 8 tends to hold the shoes together during their approach to andafter they have reached the coupling position. The oppositely-inclinedflanges 32, which project from the surfaces 12 on the backs of theshoes, and the free end portions of the springs 8 act to guide the shoesinto the proper vertical positions relative to one another, and when theshoes are coupled the bends 13 of the springs S bear on flat orcomparatively flat portions of the backs of the shoes, and relativemovement of the shoes and of the springs and shoes in a verticaldirection is prevented by the parallel portions 33 of the flanges 32.

The face of each of the half-sections or shoes of the coupling isprovided with a vertical or substantially vertical tongue 14, whichprojects from the surface 16, and a groove or slot 15, extending belowthe surface 16, the tongue and groove being so disposed that when thetwo half-sections or shoes are in engagement the tongue ll on the faceof one of the shoes fits into the groove or slot 15 on the other shoe.

lVhen the two half-sections are coupled together, the projecting edgesof the gaskets (5 are in contact and lie in the same vertical plane,which is herein referred to as the central vertical longitudinal planeof the coupling. The surfaces 10 and 16 of each of the shoes lie onopposite sides of this central plane, and the gaskets 6 project beyondthe surface 16, but not so far as the surface 16.

As the shoes approach the coupled position in the act of coupling, thesurface 16 and the tongue 11- on each shoe come in contact with andslide on the surface 16 and tongue 11 on the other shoe, and the gaskets(i are held apart and prevented from rubbing against one another. lVhenthe openings 4; through the shoes are opposi to one another, the tongue14 on one shoe slides into the groove 15 on the other shoe, and theopposite gaskets (3 are pressed into contact with one another.

Each of the tongues 1i is provided with an inclined or beveled side 17,which engages with and is adapted to slide on an inclined or beveledside 18 of the groove 15, into which it fits, so that when the shoes arebeing uncoupled by a longitudinal pull, as when the two adjacent cars towhich they are connected are uncoupled and separated or are brokenapart, the inclined sides 17 and 18 of the tongues and grooves slide oneach other and cause the faces of the shoes to move laterally apart. Theobject and effect of this lateral movement of the shoes is to separatethe gaskets 6 from one another, and thereby to prevent them from rubbingagainst one another or against the face of the opposite coupling as thehalf-sections or shoes are being uncoupled.

I do not broadly claim means whereby the half-sections of the couplingare held later ally away from the coupled position until the portions ofthe coupling which are brought into contact to form the union or jointbetween the pipes are in position to register with one another, nor do Ibroadly claim an automatic pipe-coupling comprising two half sections orshoes provided with tongues and grooves for the purpose already setforth; but a special feature of my invention consists in the meanswhereby when the two half-seetions or shoes are coupled together theuncoupling or separation of the shoes is prevented except by such amovement as would be caused by the separation of the cars whenuncoupled.

In accordance with my invention the tongues and grooves are formed withwhat may be termed non riding abutting surfaces, which are engagedduring the lateral movement of the half-sections in the act of couplingand while the half-sections are coupled.

By means of my improvement the shoes are prevented from overrunning oneanother or passing one another and going beyond the coupling position,and the lateral separation of the shoes which might be effected by theswinging or turning or lateral movement of the cars or other causes isprevented.

In order to prevent any undesirable movement of the shoes relative toone another after being coupled together, Iprovide tongues and groovesof the form shownin Figs. 3 and 3", in which the tongues Li and thegrooves 15 are undercut on the sides 19 and 20, re spectively, and thesesides overlap one another and lock the shoes together when in thecoupled position. It will be seen that with this construction the shoescannot be moved beyond the coupled position that is, they can have nofurther movement in the act of coupling than is necessary to bring theopenings through the shoes into position to register with oneanother.and the only relative longitudinal movement of the shoes whichcan be effected after the shoes are coupled together is such a movementas might be effected by the separation of the cars. Such a movementwould cause the shoes to be uncoupled, and it is desirable that theshoes should be uncoupled by such movement when the coupling forms apart of an air-brake system.

The overlapping of the sides 19 and 20 of the tongues and groovesprevents lateral separation of the shoes except when the shoes are beinguncoupled by a longitudinal movement such as that already referred to.

lVhile the preferred forms of the tongues and grooves are shown in Figs.3 and 3, I have shown in Fig. at a modification in which the sides 1.)of the tongues 1t and the sides 20 of the grooves 15 are perpendicularto the surfaces 16 and 16 of the shoes. By means of this constructionlongitudinal movement of the shoes relative to one another beyond thecoupling position is prevented, but the form of the tongues and groovesis such that they do not offer any resistance to lateral separation ofthe shoes.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the hanger 10 is formed of rigid materialand bolted or riveted to the under side of the car-coupling or draw-barhead 1 and is provided with a slot or opening 9, through which thespring 8 passes, and which is of sufficient size to permit considerableupward and downward movement of the'spring therein. To the lower end ordownward extension 21 of the hanger 10 is secured one end of a flatplate-spring22, which at its outer end is secured to a vertical guide,rod, or pin 23 by means of a key or pin 24. The pin 23 passes through anopening 25, formed through the back part of the shoe of thepipe-coupling and through an extension 26 thereon, and forms a guidewhich tends to hold the shoe in its normal positionthat is, inthe'proper position to engage and couple with a corresponding shoe onthe next car. The extension 26 of the shoe is adapted to rest on acollar or shoulder 27 on the pin 23, which serves as a support for theshoe. The length of the guide or pin 23 and of the extension 26 is suchasto permit the .full upward and downward movement of the shoe withoutpermitting the shoe to be disengaged from the pin, and the size of theopening 25 in a direction parallel to the face of the shoe is such as topermit the desired longitudinal movement of the shoe relative to thepin. The breadth of the opening 25 is, however, only slightly greaterthan the diameter of the pin 23, so that the shoe can have only a slightlateral movement relative to the pin 23, and any greater lateralmovement of the shoe is permitted only by the yielding of the spring 22,which tends always to return the shoe to its central position. Theconnection of the shoe and pin is such as to permit Whatever angularmovement may be necessary in coupling the shoes.

The curved spring which is secured to each of the shoes and passesthrough the opening in the hanger has heretofore been employed only forthe purpose of guiding the other shoe into position and pressing the twoshoes together when in the act of coupling and when coupled together,and its form has been such that it permitted no backward yielding of theshoe to which it was secured when the spring was in contact with theback portion of the hanger. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, I provide thespring 8 with a straight or comparatively straight portion ofconsiderable length, which is adapted to bear against the back portionof the hanger when the shoe is moved inwardly, the formation of the backportion and side of the spring being such that inward pressure on theshoe when the spring bears against the back of the hanger 10 will causethe spring to yield, and thereby prevent the shocks that might be causedby the sudden impact of the spring against the hanger. On account of thegreat force with which the cars sometimes come together it is importantthat the action of the spring or other connecting part on the hanger orsupport should not be such as to produce shocks or cause damage to anyof the parts, and in order to avoid such shock or damage and to givegreater flexibility and elasticity. to the coupling device as a whole,in addition to the backwardlyyielding spring 8, I prefer to employ anelastic yielding hanger 10, such as is shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 ofthe drawings.

. The preferred form of hanger, which is shown in Fig. 5, consists of afiat spring which is bent to form a loop through which the spring 8passes and which has one end fixed to the car-coupling and its other end28 free to move. The end 28 is bent so as to fit under the drawbar 29and between the draw-bar and its stirrup or support 30. The fiatstraight spring 22, which carries the pin 23, is secured to the lowerend of a suspension-piece 31, which at its upper end is secured to thehanger 10.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a construction in which the hanger 10 is made ofrigid material with a slot. or opening 9 through which the spring 8passes and in which the spring 8 may move upward and downward. Thehanger 10 is in this instance pivoted to a bracket 34, which is fixed tothe car-coupling, and an extension 35 on the upper end of the hanger isadapted to bear on the bracket when the hanger is in a substantiallyvertical position and to limit the outward movement of the hanger. Anarm 36 projects inwardly from the upper end of the hanger and forms aseat for a spring 37, which bears at its upper end against the draw-bar29. The spring 37 of fers a yielding resistance to the inward movementof the hanger 10 when it is acted on by the inward movement of the shoeand spring 8, and the spring 37 also tends to return the hanger to avertical position. The flat spring 22, which carries the rod or pin 23,is secured to a downward extension 21 of the hanger 10.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a construction in which the hangerconsists of aspring 10,which is doubled back so as to form the opening 9 for thespring 8 and which has both ends secured to the car-coupling. Thesuspensionpiece 31, spring 22, and rod or pin 23 are secured as in Fig.5.

The construction shown in Fig. 8 resembles that shown in Fig. 1 in thatthe hanger 10 is composed of rigid material, which is rigidly secured tothe car-coupling and draw-bar, and the spring 22, which carries the rodor pin 23, is secured to an extension 21 of the hanger. In Fig. 8 Iprovide, in addition to the construction shown in Fig. 1, a yieldingplate 38, located in the back part of the opening 9 and against whichthe spring 8 bears when the coupling-shoe is moved inwardly. Rods orpins 39 are secured to the plate 38 and pass through openings in theback part of the rigid hanger, their outer ends being provided with keys40 or other means for limi tin g their movement in one direction.Between the plate 38 and the back of the hanger and surrounding the rodsor pins 39 are springs 41, which offer a yielding resistance when theplate 38 is pressed by the spring 8.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In anautomatic pipe-coupling, the combination, with two half-sections, whichare adapted to be coupled together by a longitudinal movement when thehalf-sections are engaged, and by a lateral movement relative to oneanother at the end of the longitudinal movement, of means for holdingthe half-sections laterally apart during the longitudinal movement untilthe openings through the half-sections are in position to register by alateral movement, and non-riding abutting surfaces which are engagedwhen the halfsections are coupled for preventing relative movement ofthe half -sections beyond the coupling position, substantially as setforth.

2. Inapipe-coupling, thecombinatiomwith two half-sections, which areadapted to be coupled together by a longitudinalmovem ent, and a lateralmovement relative to one another at the end of the longitudinalmovement, of means for holding the half-sections laterally apart untilthe longitudinal movement is completed, and non-riding abutting surfaceswhich are adapted to be engaged when the half-sections are coupled forlooking the half-sections together to prevent longitudinal movement ofthe half-sections, relative to one another, beyond the couplingposition, substantially as set forth.

3. In apipe -coupling, the combination,with two half-sections, which areadapted to be coupled together by a longitudinal movement, and a lateralmovement relative to one allother at the end of the longitudinalmovement, of means for holding the half-sections laterally apart in theact of coupling, and means for locking the half-sections together whenin the coupled position to prevent lateral movement of thehalf-sections, substantially as set forth.

a. In a pipe-couplin g, the com bination ,with two half-sections, whichare adapted to be coupled together by a longitudinal and lateralmovement relative to one another, of a tongue and groove on the face ofeach halfsection which is adapted to engage with a similar tongue andgroove on the other halfsection, the tongues and grooves being so formedas to overlap one another and lock the two half-sections together asthey approach one another by a lateral movement and to prevent relativemovement of the half sections beyond the coupling position,substantially as set forth.

5. In an automatic pipe-coupling, the combination, with twohalf-sections which are adapted to be coupled together, of a tongueformed on the face of each half-section which is adapted to engage witha groove on the other half-section, the tongues and grooves being soformed that their sides overlap when the sections are brought togetherinto the coupled position by a longitudinal and lateral movement onlyand thereby lock the two half-sections together so as to prevent lateralmovement apart of the half-sections, substantially as set forth.

6. Ina pipe-coupling, the combination,with two half-seetions, which areadapted to be coupled together by a longitudinal and lateral movementrelative to one another, of a tongue on each half-section which isadapted to bear on the face of the other half-section for holding thetwo half-sections laterally apart until the longitudinal movement iscompleted, and a groove formed in each half-section into which thetongue on the otherhalfsection is adapted to fit, the tongues andgrooves being formed with overlapping portions so as to interlock withone another by a longitudinal and lateral movement and prevent lateralor longitudinal movement of the half-sections relatively to one anotherexcept when they are moved longitudinally in the proper direction for uncouplin g,substantially as set forth.

7. In an automatic pipe-coupling, the combination, with a half-section,or shoe, of a hanger, or support, a spring secured to the hanger andforming a support for the halfsection, or shoe, and a rod, or pin, onthe outer end of the spring which passes through the hanger, or shoe,and forms a guide therefor, substantially as set forth.

8. In an automatic pipe-coupling, the combination, with a half-section,or shoe, of a spring secured to the shoe and adapted to engage with asimilar half-section, or shoe, a hanger, or support, an opening in thehanger through which the spring on the shoe passes, and a spring securedat one end to the hanger and at its other end loosely connected to thehalf-section or shoe, substantially as set forth.

9. In an automatic pipe-coupling, the combination, with a half-section,or shoe, of a hanger, or support, a spring secured to the hanger whichis adapted to support, and to offer an elastic yielding resistance tolateral movement of the half-section, or shoe, and a guide, rod, or pin,secured to the spring and passing through an opening in thehalf-section, or shoe, the opening through the shoe being so formed asto permit longitudinal or angular movement of the shoe relative to thespring and guide, substantially as set forth.

10. In an automatic pipe-coupling device, the combination, with ahalf-section of the coupling device, of a vertical elastic hanger withwhich the half-section is loosely connected in such a manner as topermit a free vertical and longitudinal movement of the connectingportion of the half-section relative to the hanger within certainlimits, and which is adapted to yield longitudinally, when acted on by amovement of the half-section beyond the limit of the free movement,substantially as set forth.

11. In an automatic pipe-coupling device, the combination, with ahalf-section of the coupling device, of a spring attached to thehalf-section, and a vertical elastic hanger, to which the half-sectionis loosely connected by means of the spring, and which is adapted toyield when acted on by a longitudinal movement of the half-section,substantially as set forth.

12. In an automatic pipe-coupling device, the combination, with ahalf-section, or shoe, of a spring secured to the shoe and adapted toengage with a similar half-section,or shoe, a

vertical elastic hanger, and an opening in the hanger through which thespring passes, the hanger being adapted to yield and offer an elasticresistance to inward movement of the shoe and spring, substantially asset forth.

13. In an automatic pipe-coupling device, the combination, with aha1f-section, or shoe, of a vertical elastic or spring hanger, a springsecured to the shoe and passing through an opening in the hanger, and aspring secured to the hanger and provided with a guide, rod, or pin,which is loosely connected with the shoe, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

NICHOLAS F. NIEDERLANDER.

WVitnesses:

F. E. GAITHER, T. J. HOGAN.

